Indecision

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INDECISION

In some situations, if you don't make up your mind, you lose the opportunity to decide. In general, the more that you worry about mistakes, the harderdecisions can come. With practice, however, decision-making gets easier.

Try to go with this advice

Do your homework

To make a decision with confidence, first compile and consider the relevant data.

List the pros and cons

Once you have the raw data, analyze it. Get a piece of paper, divide it in half and write "pro" on on eside and "con" on the other. It's a classic way to help clarify matters.

Form a backup plan

For any option that you may be contemplating, ask yourself,"What is the risk involved? What is the worst possible outcome? How likely is that outcome? Then see if you can come up with a contingency plan that you can fall back on if you make that decision and the worst actually does come to pass.

Talk about it

If you're having trouble identifying risks, or pros and cons, talking about your options with a friend or family member can help.

Accept your choice

If you've made a decision and aren't happy with the way things turned out, don't berate yourself. There is no such thing as a "perfect" choice. Sometimes you can't get all the information that you need in the time available, or you can't foresee all the potential outcomes.